For more than 100 years, Mitchell Hamline graduates have made extraordinary contributions to the legal profession, business, and public service.
Notable alumni include a U.S. Supreme Court chief justice, pioneers who overcame discrimination, governors, members of the U.S. Congress, CEOs of multinational corporations, and defenders of the disenfranchised.
Their incredible achievements are a testament to Mitchell Hamline’s tradition of excellence. The list below is a sampling of our distinguished alumni. They, and many others, are an inspiration to the legal community and the world at large. We are proud of their outstanding accomplishments and proud to call them Mitchell Hamline alumni.
See also Elected and Appointed Officials in Minnesota
*Denotes currently serving
The Bench
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U.S. Supreme Court
Chief Justice Warren E. Burger 1931 -
U.S. District Court for the District of Minnesota
*Eric C. Tostrud ’90 -
U.S. Magistrate Judges for the District of Minnesota
*Leo I. Brisbois ’87
*Jeanne J. Graham ’85
Steven E. Rau ’83
Janice Symchych ’77
* Becky R. Thorson ’95
*Elizabeth Cowan Wright ’06 -
U.S. District Court for the District of Minnesota Senior Judges
*Donovan W. Frank ’77
*Chief Judge Paul A. Magnuson ’63 -
Minnesota Supreme Court
Chief Justice Douglas K. Amdahl ’51
Chief Justice Roger L. Dell 1920
Justice Samuel L. Hanson ’65
Chief Justice Eric J. Magnuson ’76
*Justice Anne K. McKeig ’92
Justice Helen Meyer ’83
Justice William P. Murphy 1922
Justice Martin A. Nelson 1916
Chief Justice Peter S. Popovich ’47
Justice George M. Scott ’51
Justice Esther M. Tomljanovich ’55
Justice Rosalie E. Wahl ’67
Justice Luther Youngdahl 1921 -
Other State Supreme Court
Justice Albert H. Angstman 1912, Montana Supreme Court
*Justice Michael Gableman ’93, Wisconsin Supreme Court
Chief Justice James T. Harrison 1926, Montana Supreme Court -
Minnesota Court of Appeals
*James B. Florey ’81
*Jill Flaskamp Halbrooks ’85
Samuel L. Hanson ’65
*Carol A. Hooten ’78
Doris Ohlsen Huspeni ’70
*Matthew E. Johnson ’92 (formerly chief judge)
*Michelle A. Larkin ’92
Peter S. Popovich ’47
*Denise D. Reilly ’83
*Peter M. Reyes Jr. ’97
*John R. Rodenberg ’81
*Heidi S. Schellhas ’80
Robert H. Schumacher ’62
Susanne C. Sedgwick ’56
Gordon W. Shumaker ’71
John P. Smith ’75
*Renee L. Worke ’83
Government
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Minnesota Governor
Elmer A. Benson 1918 (served as governor 1937-1939)
Floyd B. Olson 1915 (served as governor 1931-1936)
Luther Youngdahl 1921 (served as governor 1947-1951) -
Minnesota Attorney General
Lori Swanson ’95
G. Aaron Youngquist 1909
Community
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Trailblazers
Susan Allen, LL.M. ’00
First American Indian woman legislator in MinnesotaJeffrey R. Anderson ’75
Pioneering advocate for victims of sexual abuseJohn Choi ’95
Ramsey County Attorney, nation’s first Korean-American county attorneyRegina M. Chu ’80
First Asian American female district court judge in MinnesotaSue K. Dosal ’79
Minnesota’s first state court administratorWilliam T. Francis 1904
First African American to achieve the rank of minister in the foreign service (U.S. minister to Liberia)Charles H. Johnson ’75
Leading attorney for people harmed by pharmaceuticals and medical devicesC. Paul Jones LL.M. ’55
Minnesota’s first public defenderDaniel Lew ‘95
Chief Public Defender for Minnesota’s Sixth Judicial District, the first Asian Pacific American chief public defender in MinnesotaStephen L. Maxwell ’53
First African American district court judge in MinnesotaAnne McKeig ’92
First Native American named to Minnesota Supreme Court and first Native American woman named to any state supreme courtChris Messerly ’86
Led the pro bono effort in pursuing justice for victims of the I-35W bridge collapseHassan Ali Mohamud ’02
First Somali law graduate in MinnesotaCara Lee Neville ’75
First female president, Minnesota Trial Lawyers AssociationJessie R. Nicholson ’85
First African American to lead a legal services program in MinnesotaPeter Popovich ’47
Minnesota’s first Court of Appeals chief judgeLenor A. Scheffler ’88
First member of the Mdewakanton Dakota Community to become a lawyerJudge Susanne C. Sedgwick ’56
Founding member, National Association of Women JudgesJoanne M. Smith ’77
First female chief judge of a Minnesota district courtLena O. Smith 1921
Minnesota’s first African American woman lawyerLori Swanson ’95
Minnesota’s first female attorney generalChristopher Thao ’86
First Hmong lawyer in the United StatesSophia Vuelo ’98
First judge of Hmong descent in Minnesota, and third Hmong-American to serve as a judge in the United States.Rosalie Wahl ’67
First woman on the Minnesota Supreme Court -
Law Firm and Legal Community Leaders
Kenneth J. Abdo ’82
Partner, Fox RothschildBrian Batzli ’85
Chairman Emeritus, Merchant & GouldJeffery L. Cameron ’99
Founding Partner, Brooks, Cameron & HuebschMichael A. Collyard ’00
Chair, Ediscovery Group, Robins KaplanThomas G. Dickson ’94
Managing Partner, Patterson, ThuenteWilliam C. Griffith ’88
President, Larkin HoffmanSam Hanson ’65
Managing Partner, Briggs and MorganFrank Harris ’75
Executive Director, Minnesota Continuing Legal EducationBrian N. Johnson ’81
Founding Partner, Nilan Johnson LewisChad A. Johnson ’92
Founding Partner, Hellmuth & JohnsonMichael A. Klutho ’87
CFO, Bassford RemeleRoss E. Kramer ’74
Co-Founder, Messerli & KramerMartin R. Lueck ’84
Chairman of the Executive Board, Robins KaplanSteven W. Lundberg ’82
Founding Partner, Schwegman Lundberg & WoessnerTiffany M. Quick ’01
Management Committee, Bassford RemeleSteven A. Schumeister ’76
Managing Partner, Robins KaplanMichael L. Schwegman ’72
Founding Partner, Schwegman Lundberg & WoessnerT.J. Snodgrass ’92
Founding Partner, Larson KingGregory Stenmoe ’81
Past President, Briggs & MorganPaul J. Zech ’84
President, Felhaber Larson -
Business Leaders
Robin Alton ’86
President, Pan-O-Gold Baking CompanyLynn M. Anderson ’80
Executive Vice President & General Counsel, Holiday CompaniesJames A. Baker ’03
Intellectual Property Counsel, 3M CompanyEric A. Bakken ’94
Executive Vice President, General Counsel & Business Development, Regis CorporationStephen Bonner ’72
Former President and CEO, Cancer Treatment Centers of AmericaMara Burr ’95
Vice President, Albright Stonebridge GroupJames R. Chiapetta ’94
Senior Patent Counsel, Boston ScientificDan Enebo ’97
Chief IP Counsel, CargillRolf Engh ’82
Executive Vice President and General Counsel, The Valspar CorporationJames R. Frey ’93
President, Wabash Management CompanyKaren P. Gallivan ’83
Vice President, General Council and Secretary, GracoMary S. Giesler ’95
Vice President, General Counsel, Minnesota TwinsNicole James Gilchrist ’03
Senior Counsel, Thrivent Financial for LutheransRobert C. Klas ’79
CEO, Tapemark CompanyDouglas E. Klint ’76
General Counsel, Taser InternationalDaniel P. O’Keefe ’78
General Counsel/Executive Vice President, Aon BenfieldRichard Mack ’93
Executive Vice President and CFO, The Mosaic CompanyJ. Richard Soderberg ’88
Chief IP Counsel, Tesla MotorsAmy (Min) Xu ’97
Chief Patent Counsel, Alibaba -
Nonprofit Service Leaders
Gail Chang Bohr ’91
Executive Director Emerita, Children’s Law Center of MinnesotaWilliam H. DeParcq ’30
Founder, Courage CenterSusan M. Haigh ’77
President and CEO, Twin Cities Habitat for HumanityThomas Hoch ’81
President and CEO, Hennepin Theatre TrustSteven J. Kirsch ’76
Pro Bono Award recipient for 24 years of service to Southern Minnesota Regional Legal ServicesGwen Lerner ’78
Co-founder, Children’s Law Center of MinnesotaNeal Loidolt ’92
President and CEO, Minnesota Assistance Council for VeteransJessie R. Nicholson ’85
CEO, Southeastern Minnesota Regional Legal ServicesVictor Vieth ’87
Executive Director Emeritus, Gundersen National Child Protection Training CenterDonald F. Zibell ’62
Established Minnesota’s first group home for people with developmental disabilities